1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air tight container, and more specifically to a medical suction container. The principal feature of the present invention is the air tight seal between the container lid and the canister liner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
To maintain a vacuum within a container it is necessary to provide an air tight seal between the covering lid and the material holding canister. In some applications, it may also be desirable to insert a disposable liner within the canister and as such an air tight seal may have to be provided between the liner and the lid.
The main application of the present invention is in medical suction containers in which fluid from a patient is sucked into the container vacuum and therein stored. It is desirable, because of the disease-bearing nature of the removed fluids to have a disposable liner for such containers. Heretofore, liners have been welded or adhesively secured to the inside cover of a medical suction container as illustrated by Reynolds et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,863,634. After the medical suction procedure has been completed the cover with liner is discarded.
In addition, liners have been disposed between the canister body and the lid of an industrial drum. As disclosed by Zilbert U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,432, a liner having a screw threaded annular portion is secured between a drum and its top.
The present invention provides an air tight seal between the lid and the canister liner so that a vacuum can be maintained within the canister liner. In particular, a sealing assembly on the liner cooperates with a sealing protrusion on the lid to form an air tight seal.